A BIRD MISCELLANY 



167 



Their flight up the almost perpendicular 

 face of the falls was one of graceful celerity. 

 Up, up, they would mount only a few inches 

 from the dashing current, and disappear up- 

 stream in search of food. In returning, they 

 would sweep down over the precipitous falls 

 with the swiftness of arrows, stopping them- 

 selves lightly with their outspread wings 

 before reaching the rocks below. From 

 a human point of view it was a frightful 

 plunge ; from the ousel point of 

 view it was an every-day affair. 



After watching the tussle be- 

 tween ousel and water for a long 

 time, I decided to take a peep at 

 their nursery. In order to do this 

 I was compelled to wade into the 

 stream a little below the falls, 

 through mist and spray ; yet 

 such humid quarters were the 

 natural habitat and play- 

 ground of these interesting 

 cinclids. And there the nest 

 was, set in a cleft about a foot and a half above 

 the water, its outer walls kept moist by the spray 



which constantly dashed against them from the falls. " Up, up, only 



a few inches J 

 the dashing current " 



Water-Ousel 



The water was also dripping from the rock that over- afe ches f rom 



